Van Nong is a community artist working with patients in Renal. Van uses the Arts to engage and distract patients as they undergo dialysis, offering a range of activities from painting to mosaic making and even artistic games on the iPad!

In April 2016 Van’s work was extended to cover not only York but Harrogate, Easingwold and potentially Selby too. The service is very important to those who participate as it provides them with a meaningful activity and sense of pride as they populate regular exhibitions within our hospitals.

Anne Hutchison is a York based artist working with patients and carers in York Hospital’s Cancer Care Centre. The Cancer Care Centre is available to anyone involved in or undergoing treatment for cancer, it provides a unique haven for them to get together, talk and even indulge in a little distraction therapy.

Anne runs the Creative Corner, helping patients to relax and take their mind off their health issues by providing arts and crafts projects as part of the enhanced recovery program.

The Creative Corner runs on Tuesday afternoons between 1pm – 4pm in the Cancer Care Centre at York Hospital. There’s no need to book and the sessions are free!

The hospital is adorned with artwork made by those working with Anne, helping improve the environment of other areas too.

2017

Evaluation Film by Students from the University of York

The Arts Team linked with students from the University of York this summer to create a short evaluative film about participation arts in York Hospital’s Renal Unit. Students wrote blog posts throughout the process. To read them click here.

Portakabin Keys Artwork

Distraction Therapist, Anne Hutchison, used hundreds of keys to devise an arts project for participants in the Creative Corner. The keys have been made into a beautiful tree, now framed and installed in the Cancer Care Centre.

We’d like to say a huge thank you to Portakabin for the keys and the £150 donation towards the project.

Crochet in the Creative Corner

Anne Hutchison has been busy teaching crochet to participants in the Cancer Care Centre's Creative Corner!

Photo credit: Elly Ross

Chinese New Year Cockerel by Creative Corner in the Cancer Care Centre

Anne Hutchison's creative sessions took a Chinese theme as she led an exciting project in celebration of Chinese New Year 2017 - the year of the Cockerel.

Participants thoroughly enjoyed working in collage and sculpture to create these vibrant cockerels which will be displayed on York Hospital’s main corridor throughout January 2017.

2016

Renal Unit Artwork

Janet Woolley (pictured) is a renal patient who works with Van Nong, Art Development Officer for Renal, to create artwork whilst on dialysis.

Van creates 3D tactile art projects for Janet. She’s blind and therefore much of the enjoyment comes through the process of creating the artwork. This piece is made from air-dry clay and wire which has been shaped and dipped in acrylic.

Van’s work in the Renal Unit is funded by York Teaching Hospital Charity. If you’d like to fundraise with them to help this work to continue, please click here to get in touch.

Laura Camplejohn joins Van Nong on the Renal Unit

Laura Camplejohn is a 2nd Year Fine Art student at York St. John University. As part of her degree Laura is undertaking a placement working with Van Nong on York Hospital’s Renal Unit.

Above: Laura doing sculpture work as part of her degree.

“I have chosen this placement as it provides me with a fantastic opportunity to experience a new type of creative role. This placement stood out for me because I can make a difference in patients’ lives by occupying and helping them to engage with art. I have been surrounded by art my whole life and would love to create a positive impact on patients in need of physical stimulation by sharing my passion. In helping Van Nong with this, I hope not only to help the patients but also broaden my artistic contribution to the world and gain a larger insight into my potential career path.”

2014

Rosie Carr volunteers in York’s Renal Unit

During her third year at York St John University Rosie Carr volunteered as an art worker, assisting Van Nong in his art sessions with patients in York Hospital’s Renal Unit. Van and Rosie worked together to install a 3D exhibition of animal sculptures on our main corridor, all lovingly made by our amazingly talented Renal patients!

Angela Connor joins the Ward 37 Team on art therapy placement

During her final year at Leeds Metropolitan University, Angela Connor, a mature Art Therapy student, joined Ward 37 to bring art therapy to patients.

Mandy Rosier, Senior Sister on Ward 37 at the time, was delighted to have Angela working with her team:

“I am really looking forward to having Angela on the ward over the next few months. She has only been here for a couple of weeks and the patients are already engaging so well and seem to be enjoying the experience. It’s lovely that we have the opportunity to have art therapy on Ward 37 and it will be very interesting to see the completed pieces”.

Angela Connor explains her role as an Art Therapist:

“Throughout my day on the ward I greet everyone and take a read on who is receptive to my approach. I then build on the initial interaction using art materials to encourage the clients to express themselves in art while all the time engaging in an Interactive dialogue.”

2013

Painting in the Renal Unit

Prior to Van’s time in our Renal units, artist, Anne Hutchison undertook the role. Anne conducted several art projects with patients, encouraging them to open their imagination and take their work in a direction of their own choosing. This process often culminated in exhibitions, both in high impact areas and along the corridor leading to the Renal Unit so that patients could proudly view their work on their way to dialysis.

2012

Mosaic Trees

In 2012 artist Lesley Seeger worked on the Renal Unit as the Arts Development Officer. Lesley worked with patients to create our beautiful mosaic trees, now very popular in the main waiting area of York Hospital.

Each tree, full of birds, flowers and leaves was cut into small pieces for the patients to work on. The individual pieces of patient mosaic were then brought together in the final design.

The pieces of tile used in the mosaic come from a variety of sources, from tiles donated by staff and patients to old china and crockery found in charity shops.

"Doing the art work you completely forget sometimes that you are on the machine. You get quite engrossed"

"We're not just doing something individual. It's part of a whole...you have a little union between you."Quotes from patients participating in the project

2011

Celebrating Remembrance Day

To celebrate Remembrance Day in 2011 The Arts Team organised a programme of live music and a participatory art session with artist, Lesley Seeger.

Anyone and everyone were invited to take part in the art session where a memorial collage was created in the main entrance. Patients, visitors and staff contributed to the piece, creating a colourful field of poppies with lines from 'Flanders Fields,' by John McCrae embedded in it.

The picture is now in situated in the family room of the Mortuary, brightening up the space and linking in with the theme of remembering lost loved ones.

The live music on the day was provided by a barber shop quartet from York St John University and the extremely talented Kieran White who played piano in the foyer.

Cityscape Print Project on Ward 16

Patients and staff on Ward 16 created printed elements of an imaginary historic city, working in the Enhanced Recovery Suite on Ward 16 with Anne Hutchison.

Contributors were duly honoured by having a street or building named after them on the signposts dotted around the piece. This piece of work represents many hours spent by lots of patients passing through the ward and has provided a little creativity to help aid their recovery process - very much enjoyed and appreciated by most participants.

Collaborative Project with York Quilting Museum

In February 2011, patients in the Renal Unit were involved in a rewarding textile project with the Quilt Museum entitled 'Homes and Gardens'.

This collaborative project was co-led by Sally Sculthorpe, Education Officer at the Quilt Museum and Lesley Seeger, Arts Development Worker for York Hospital Trust.

2009

Buttons and Feathers Project

In February 2009, Artist Lesley Seeger worked with colorectal patients on a twenty-four week collage project. The medium of collage was chose due to the fact that it is relatively easy to contain and usually less messy than painting or mosaic making. The aim of the project was to get patients up and moving after surgery and to improve the quality of their patient care and experience.